Tuesday, December 27, 2022: Bathrm brkr broke, Gospel study & prayer - My "walk with Jesus", Paul at work all day, dogs, Erik's family, "The Spirit of Christmas" Shopping

 

Paris, France

156th operating temple

Dedicated: 21 May 2017

By: Henry B. Eyring

Jesus Christ, taking the name of

John 20:31

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Book of Mormon

Moroni 7:35-48

"Come Follow Me"

To truly learn from the Savior, I must accept His invitation "Come Follow Me". John 7:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; James 1:5-6; 22; James 2:17.

Jesus's Name

GOOD SHEPHERD - John 10:11

OctGenCon

The Virtue of the Word

Elder Mark D. Eddy

Of the Seventy

 Indeed, throughout scripture we read of miraculous blessings poured out upon those who have chosen to try the virtue of the word of God in their lives. I invite you to ponder three examples with me as we turn our focus to the Book of Mormon - a book that President Russell M. Nelson described as "our latter-day survival guide."

I got up at 4:05 and the heater in the bathroom was not on. I tried to turn it on but it didn't come on. At first I thought it was the heater but I tried my curling iron and it didn't work either. I went in to the GFI plug in the hall bathroom and pushed it but that didn't help either. Then I realized something. I had turned the heater on in the downstairs bathroom before Stacy and Paul got here to warm things up. The heater in our bathroom and the heater in the downstairs bathroom can't be on at the same time. It always throws a breaker. I mentioned it to James and he got up and went outside to the breaker box but the breaker wasn't off. We couldn't figure it out. Very puzzling. James worked on this problem for two and a half days, finally solving it on Thursday afternoon as Stacy and Paul were leaving. He called David many times, ran from the hall bath, to our bathroom to the downstairs bath many times. Talk about getting your steps! We went to Home Depot to get new plugs, a new GFI plug, a new breaker and a tester. James finally discovered that it was the GFI plug in the hall bath and he fixed it. There for awhile I thought we were doomed to bathrooms without electricity. I am grateful for a husband and a brother-in-law who never give up when there is a problem to be solved.

I tried to watch a Christmas movie with Stacy. She does not like the Hallmark predictable ones so I chose "The Spirit of Christmas" which is a Lifetime movie. It's about a ghost who doesn't understand why he has to come back to the place where he was killed for 12 days out of the year at Christmas time. Everyone thinks the inn where he lives is haunted. Jen Lilley's character is sent out to have the inn appraised so it can be sold but she ends up falling in love with the ghost. It is really quite good and Kim and I both loved it. Stacy liked it okay.

Aurora came over this morning. She is Erik's and Amelia's oldest daughter. She knows Joshua because they had seminary together for awhile until she had to change her schedule. She came over to charge her phone but she asked where Joshua was. They wanted to find a place with some snow so they could go sledding and she wanted to invite Joshua to go with them. He was outside. When he came in we told him Aurora was looking for him so he went back outside to find her. Soon all of the kids came inside for some hot chocolate. Joshua made them each a cup. While all of this is going on Paul is working and when he is one a call we have to ask the children to be quiet.

Later Amelia came over and brought a notebook and pen with her. She was just called as their wards Relief Society president and she is re-doing all of the ministering districts. She said that Cid Elmer was the secretary over ministering but she recently moved, which we already knew. Cid did not want to move to Houston but I guess they needed to sell their home to supplement their retirement fund. Home are expensive in Chandler and they can get a home in Houston for $150,000. Their daughter Jillie lives there so that is another reason for choosing Houston.

It is very windy today and is supposed to snow tomorrow. Erik is hunting over near Eagar. James called him because we didn't have Amelia's number and asked if there was anything we could get for them when we went into town. He said no that he had stopped in Springerville and picked up some pizza. 

James and I ate at La Casita again and then I went shopping at Walmart and he went to his favorite store, Home Depot to get some plugs for the house. 

I watched a couple of Christmas movies while walking as is my habit this time of year.

Some of my gospel study for today: 

The Redemption of the Bride - Chapter 12 - Restoration

Elder Olsen's talk - "Youth today are born for greatness."

"We must know Christ better and love him and serve him better."

Don't let that sweet little face fool you.

Paul's sisters family

Addy and friend

Monday, December 26, 2022: Weather in 50's, Clean upstrs, J sees Barbara, Stacy, Paul, Joshua, Vader, Shipley, Sophie here, Eriks fmly in camper, Venison gravy, Pinocchio

 

Hartford, Connecticut

155th operating temple

Dedicated: 20 Nov 2016

By: Henry B. Eyring

Jesus Christ, Taking the name of

Matthew 12:21

 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

Book of Mormon

Moroni 7:20-34

"Come Follow Me"

We Are Responsible For Our Own Learning. 

Matthew 7:7; John 1;38

Jesus's Name

LAMB OF GOD - John 1:29

OctGenCon

That They Might Know Thee

Elder Jonathan S. Schmitt

Of the Seventy

Just as Jesus knows each of us by name, one way we can come to better know Jesus is by learning His many names. Like the names of Israel and Peter, many of Jesus's names are titles that help us understand His mission, purpose, character, and attributes. As we come to know Jesus's many names, we will come to better understand His divine mission and His selfless character. Knowing His many names also inspires us to become more like Him - to develop Christlike attributes that bring joy and purpose to our lives.

All I can say is I was up before 7. Will I ever get back on track?

The weather was beautiful today with the high in the 50's. I finished my blog for December 16th and started December 17th. That's how far behind I am. 

Stacy, Paul, and Joshua are coming today so I did a quick clean upstairs and downstairs. I took the quilt that Lois made me and put it on the bed in my office. It looks beautiful.

I did call Lois today and thank her for the quilt. I told her it was probably the nicest Christmas gift I had ever received because it was made by her. 

For lunch I had some parmesan crusted chicken. James went over to Barbara's to check on the concrete and Barbara came out to visit him. She loved the comforter we gave her and she said it even fit on her bed. She really is a sweet lady.

This afternoon James wanted me to go to town with him. Since Stacy and Paul were coming, I declined because I wanted to be here when they arrived. 

Stacy, Paul, Joshua, Shipley, Vader, and Sophie arrived somewhere between 2:00 and 2:30. As I was helping Stacy put things away in the kitchen she dropped and broke a big bottle of Prego. Not a good way to start out. Paul immediately set up his big computer screen on the high table near the entry and asked me for the password to the internet. He is supposed to have today off but his boss needed him to do something. I moved my nativity off the table and put it away downstairs so Stacy could do her puzzle on the other side of the table. Joshua and Stacy helped me carry the pieces downstairs. Stacy gets around pretty well with her boot but she didn't wear it much while she was here.

Erik and his family came up today in their camp trailer. Erik is hunting for anterless elk and brought all of his family with him. They came over to say hello and ended up staying to watch a movie. James fixed us some venison gravy and we invited them to eat with us but they said they had already eater. Amelia shared some licorice caramels and some fudge. Stacy and I loved the licorice and James loved the fudge. Stacy suggested we watch this new version of Pinocchio which ended up being more for teenagers than little kids. It was a little bizarre. Joshua did say he liked it. I wonder if Aurora who is 14, and Mabel who is 12 liked it. I don't think Tabitha who is 8 or Oliver who is 10 understood all of it. Honestly, I was glad when it was over and I really didn't like it very much.

Tabitha liked the dogs, especially Vader who is really the "safest" one. Shipley and Sophie are unpredictable. Honestly everytime I got close to Stacy or Sophie, Sophie would bark at me so loudly it would scare me away. Stacy says she does it because she is nervous and she can't hurt me because she doesn't have any teeth but there is something about a dog barking in your face that scares you away, at least for me. Whenever I sit down Shipley comes over to sit on my lap and that is fine. It is just when she gets right in my face and wants to lick it when I draw the line.

After saying goodnight James and I went in the bedroom and walked while listening to "The Undaunted."

I signed up for Courtney's online cake 

class. It starts January 2nd.

Chandler tumbleweed tree

We drove passed it several times.

It is very near the San Marcos.

Sedona snow.

Back East snow and ice storm.

Anna and Shaun

Sunday, December 25, 2022:AJ's cafe brkfst, open presents, Sheri's sacrament mtg, friends & family, Checkout, D&T's brisket, Home, Facetime Texas

 

Star Valley, Wyoming

154th operating temple

Dedicated: 30 Oct 2016

By: David A. Bednar

Jesus Christ, Spirit of

Moroni 7:16

For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

Book of Mormon

Moroni 7:20-34

"Come Follow Me"

Merry Christmas!

Jesus's Name

Author & Finisher of Our Faith - Hebrews 12:2

OctGenCon

The Answer Is Jesus

Elder Ryan K. Olsen

Of the Seventy

While I was serving as a missionary in Argentina, President Howard W. Hunter invited us to do something that had a profound effect on my life. He said, "We must know Christ better than we know him; we must remember him more often than we remember him; we must serve him more valiantly than we serve him."

Merry Christmas!

Since I was up late, walking and wrapping, I didn't get up until almost 8:00. James wanted me to go down with him to A.J.'s this morning for breakfast so I got dressed and we walked down together.

The restaurant only had two other groups of people besides us and they left so we were the only ones. We both ordered hot chocolate and the Omelet Verde with breakfast potatoes and avocado. I had an English muffin with mine while James ordered sourdough bread. 

It was good, but I couldn't finish mine so James finished it for me.

I told James to give our waitress a $20 tip because she had to work on Christmas day. When we checked out I put some cash on my pillow with a Merry Christmas note.

We just had time to open our presents before getting ready for sacrament meeting. 

From Lois & Dawn - a quilt hand-pieced by Lois, a necklace, a nice t-shirt and James and I each got a $50 Visa card. Sheri gave me a $100 Amazon card and James $100 Bass Pro gift card. I also got a nice candle from Sheri. 

We attended 10:00 sacrament meeting at the Galveston building with Sheri. The Galveston 2nd and 3rd ward met together. We saw Cathi & Terry, Dave & Laura, Patrick and his family, lots of old ward members and Trudy Lamb and the Auxier's. The meeting was mostly music as I am sure most sacrament meetings were today. As always it was a privilege to take the sacrament. 

Hilary Jiminez and her three girls, Evelyn, Elise and Elena sang a medley of "I Heard the Bells" and "I Know that My Redeemer Lives."

Choir and congregation sang "Away In a Manger."

Youth speaker: Connor Jaros - Why was Jesus born in a manger?

Christmas is . . . 

The Owens youth, 3 boys and twin girls sang accompanied by their mother Marie on the piano. I remember when those twin girls were born.

Youth speaker - Nora Jones - What can I give Him, King, Prince of Peace, King of the Jews. Give Him our hearts.

"O Holy Night" Two sisters sang it beautifully.

Sheri left a little early as she is taking Alex & Shayna to the airport where they are catching a plane to Hawaii.

We went back to the San Marcos, packed up and said goodbye. Maybe we will see you again next year.

We drove out to Darrel & Trina's just in time to have some brisket. It was delicious. Trina said Darrel got up and babied this brisket more than he ever did their kids. Ha, Ha.

We visited with the kids a little and talked about what they got for Christmas. James gave Rowan his drone and asked him to take pictures of the Gilbert temple and then we said goodbye and left. We will be back around January 6th because that is when James is having his surgery.

On the way home James wanted to stop at the Peeler's but he didn't have his key with him. We did stop and he put a bag of stuff in the front yard, hidden.

When we arrived home Luna was standing outside the fence and the gate was open. We thought maybe Chuck had forgotten to close it but when James spoke with Chuck he told him that he found her that way the other day. He put her back in and if she is out she did it herself. James left the feed bag in her site and she opened the gate herself. She is definitely motivated by food and a horse of many talents.

We Face-Timed with Jared, Kacey, Molly, Scarlett and Charlie this evening. Molly showed us her basketball shoes she got for Christmas. Charlie showed us her Christmas presents too and Scarlett told us what she got. We enjoyed visiting with everyone. It was a great way to end our Christmas day. 

Janna Grombach and her son

Sheri's tree

Memory: Addy, Rowan, and Ruby

Kacey and Jared's

Ian's Christmas present

My breakfast

The quilt Lois made

Christmas Eve, Rowan is at work